High Definition Shopping

There are some experiences in life that are simply displeasurable, and to be avoided. Two that come to mind are root canal work, and colonoscopy. In a less medical way, while spending large amounts of money should be an enjoyable experience, it simply all too often is not. One example of this phenomenon is buying a new car. After five hours of going back and forth with the salesman, who in turn goes deals with the sales manager, I start to wonder if my current vehicle needs to be replaced. While not as much money will change hands for a TV than a car, it is nonetheless a frustrating endeavor.

A simple trip to any big box electronics retailer will allow anyone to experience what I have. I've visited Best Buy, Sears and Circuit City, and their TV displays all run way too similarly. They have a handful of aisles with their sets side by side and on shelves. The largest, and most expensive plasmas are on the outer walls. The sales folk are often not too knowledgeable. No, make that they barely know the manufacturer, and nothing much beyond that. The quickest way to scurry them is to ask the screen resolution, or if it has a QAM cable tuner. These types of technical questions send them for the hills, and I haven't encountered any of them that could provide ready answers to gear that they should be expert in.

The primary goal of venturing into a store to buy a television is to be able to compare the pictures side by side between the sets one is considering. Most of the stores show either a live HD signal, or HD content from a looped disc, although at times the signal does look less than hi def at some stores (Best Buy has the best loop IMHO). Adding to the difficulties of the comparison is that the adjustment, or lack of thereof, of the sets. Of the retailers, Wal-Mart's gear was the worst adjusted as no set was set up well, and they all were either too red or way too green. Of course with folks fiddling with them all day I’m sure it’s an uphill battle, but even sets that looked fine in other stores look like a piece of junk at Wal-Mart’s display.

A TV's remote is an essential component of the total package. As part of the decision making process, it’s a good idea to be able to handle the remote, and to see how comfortable it sits in the hand. After all, most of us do a lot of channel flipping, and any aficionado will agree that not all remotes are created equal. Unfortunately for us, it’s often a big secret as to what remote will come with the TV as they are not on display. I suppose they keep them in the back for when they sell the floor model, but that doesn’t help the would be purchaser.

Through this whole process, I’ve learned a few things that I’d like to share as some suggestions for purchasing that new high definition television.

1-Do Your Homework

I really mean homework, as in done at home before going to the store. It’s essential that you decide on the type of technology you’d like beforehand, as it only gets more confusing in the store with the audio turned up from all of the sets, and the stereos. Personally, I wouldn’t buy an old style tube television no matter how cheap it is as even with a digital tuner, they aren’t capable of displaying high def (by definition, >480 lines of resolution). The next technology to be avoided is the DLP. These use a spinning disc and a light to create the picture. While again they cost less, and the cabinets are smaller than traditional TV’s, I think the pictures always look muddy, dark, and lack sharpness and crispness. That leaves plasma vs. LCD (at least until energy efficient OLED’s and super sharp “laser TV’s” debut). If you’re going really big than it’s plasma, and for smaller sets it’s LCD. Around 36” - 40” is where the technology goes either way. I’m personally biased for LCD as it is more energy efficient, has less screen burn in issues, and perhaps will have greater longevity, but you’ll have to come to that conclusion for yourself.

2-Grab a Tape Measure

Some of these new TV’s are quite large. Just because it is a flat panel, it still has a certain height and width. Most of us don’t live in a sports stadium so we do need to consider the size of the set. Aren’t all of these size specs on the web? While it is true that many manufacturer and retail sites do provide the measurements of the TV, in many cases they are wrong. For example, many of them state the height, but don’t mention that this is without the stand attached. Far better to find out now that we don’t have room for it, than to get it home and find out that it won’t clear the top of your media cabinet. Not to mention that some of the lesser manufacturers don’t have any size measurements at all.

3-Read the Manual

While it’s the exceptional salesperson that really knows the televisions, all of the essential specs are in the owner’s manual. While the stores don’t have this available, this is where a little internet surfing can yield a big dividend. Head on over to the manufacturer’s website and look for the downloadable PDF of the manual. After a sizable download, we can now know the screen resolution, the remote control layout, how the set handles letterbox films, and the menu screens and capabilities. Now we can better tell if the set has all the function needed to earn a place in our home, or it’s just another pretty budget box and not really a bargain after all.

4-All the Right Connections

It’s good to figure out what else you’ll be connecting to the TV, and make sure it has the correct jacks to connect everything. Take up a tally of video game systems, VCR’s, DVD players and recorders, media extenders and DVR’s and make sure there will be a spot for everything to plug into the set.. Also, don’t forget to take into account a video camera, or even a digital camera that will benefit from front mounted inputs to hook up easily on a temporary basis. Some of the better sets do have more inputs, and time spent now will avoid the perpetual game of unplugging and plugging gear in every time you want to use it. Don’t forget that times change, and make sure there is at least one extra input in case something else comes along that needs the TV. Also, look for a set that has a VGA input for a computer as this will allow it to be used as a computer monitor.

5-Check the Tuner

The tuner is less of an issue these days than before, but there are still plenty of analog only devices out there still sitting on shelves waiting to be sold. Ideally, the device should come with an analog tuner, NTSC, a digital tuner, ATSC, and a cable tuner, QAM. This way, no matter what signal source the TV is hooked into, it will be able to tune into the broadcast. The manual, and the product box are two good places to check the tuner situation of a particular TV.

6-Comparison Shop

After we’ve decided on a set, then is the time to get the best deal on it. Head online to retailers such as NewEgg.com, Amazon.com, and Buy.com. Also don’t forget that CC and BB sometimes have different models or prices on the web than they do in their retail stores. Also, recall that the majority of TV’s are sold from Thanksgiving to Super Bowl Sunday, so that’s when the best deals are to be found. Don’t forget to check out the local circulars for these sales as well which often rotate manufacturers on sale week by week.

7-One Way Money

Before plunking down that credit card, verify what the return policy of the retailer is. The 15% restocking fee, even if the set is broken out of the box, can become hundreds of dollars on a 60” plasma screen. While the usual is that if the set is dysfunctional and can be exchanged for the same model without charge, getting the dough back completely to buy a different model is not an option. Make sure to verify what model you want, and be darn sure before the purchase as it becomes a done deal rather quickly. Also, be aware that Wal-Mart, and most price clubs will allow a return without the restocking fee so if they have the model desired this should be the preferred retailer for the purchase.

8-Don’t Be A Sucker

Finally, don’t be too eager to sign onto the extended warranty plan. They’re usually expensive, and the retailers love them because they pad their profit margins heftily. Don’t forget that if the purchase is charged to a gold credit card, that both Visa and Master Card will double the manufacturer’s warranty- up to one year. The only proof required is the receipt, and the credit card statement showing the purchase.

So after all of that, what am I buying? As it stands now, I’m leaning heavily towards the Samsung 26” LCD. While I’d like a larger screen, I’m limited in the height to an existing cabinet, and this set is the shortest LCD that I can find. After seeing it in two stores, I can say that with the right signal and adjustments that it has the nicest picture in that category of screen size. It retails for $799, which is competitive. I’m a little annoyed as I think a few other folks have figured this out and the price has been creeping up on Amazon. I’m hoping that the original enthusiasm will die away, and I’ll have it in time for the fall television season at a more discounted price.

--Jonas